Ok yall here is the next chapter, where we start pushing the plot forward. There will be a few time skips coming and I have some things planned. Also I'm going to shorten the chapters and post 2 a week, maybe 3. Also i decided to remove brandish from the love interests for now i might add her later but handling that many people at once is hard especially when i don't know their personality well. Anywho i hope yall enjoy
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The four of them sat there on the grass for a while longer, the initial awkwardness fading into a comfortable quiet. Varion leaned back on his hands, the sun warming his face as he glanced between them. "So… what now? We could start with something simple. Maybe grab some cake at the bakery in town?"
Erza's eyes lit up immediately, her usual stern expression breaking into a happy, almost childlike smile at the mention of sweets. "Cake? Yes—strawberry cake would be perfect!"
Lucy smiled brightly, her earlier reluctance melting as she linked her arm with Varion's, her head leaning lightly against his shoulder for a moment. "I love cake, let's go!"
Mira huffed softly, but her tsundere mask cracked as she scooted a bit closer on his other side, her shoulder pressing against his in a way that felt natural after all the times she'd "accidentally" bumped him during chores. "Fine. But only if it's not too sweet."
Varion's heart swelled at the moment the moment felt right like a puzzle finally clicking together. He stood, helping each of them up one by one—his hand lingering a second longer in each of their hands. "Cake it is, then. I'm buying."
They laughed lightly, the sound mingling as they walked back inside together, arms brushing, hands occasionally intertwining. The kids glanced up from their games in the living room, but Varion just waved them off with a smile. "We'll be back soon. Don't burn the place down."
As they strolled toward the guild, the dynamic settled—Erza walking tall on one side, her hand slipping into Varion's during a quiet stretch; Mira on the other, bumping his shoulder playfully when teasing him, Lucy in the middle in front with her hands behind her back happily.
The week following Varion's S-class promotion passed in a blur of quiet, cherished moments—a deliberate break from missions to recharge and spend time with Erza, Mira, and Lucy. It was a new dynamic, awkward at first with lingering blushes and shared glances, but it grew into something warm and natural. Mornings often started with group breakfasts at the expanded mansion, Varion flipping pancakes while the girls helped. The kids' laughter filled the background, turning the meals into family affairs.
Afternoons were for relaxed outings: a picnic in the backyard where Lucy shared stories from the estate, Mira demonstrated controlled Satan Soul forms and Erza got them training together and doing drills that ended in group rests under the trees, heads leaning on shoulders in comfortable silence. Evenings brought stargazing on the roof—Varion pointing out constellations from his past, Erza's hand slipping into his as she listened intently, Mira resting her head on his shoulder with a soft sigh, Lucy cuddled against his other side, her fingers tracing patterns on his arm. The touches were simple and heartfelt but they built the bond steadily, jealousy giving way to shared affection.
By the end of the week, Varion felt ready again. He walked into the guild hall that morning, the familiar chaos greeting him like an old friend.
Before he could reach the mission board, Makarov waved him over from the bar, his small frame perched on a stool. "Varion! Come here, lad. Got something for you."
Varion approached, nodding respectfully. "Master?"
Makarov slid an S-rank mission flyer across the counter, his expression serious. "Take a look at this. Multiple dark guilds spiking in activity in the eastern region—raids, recruitment drives, even some ritual rumors. I'm worried this could be the start of something bigger, like a coalition forming. We need to stomp it out now before other dark guilds get any ideas and it snowballs."
Varion scanned the flyer—reports of shadowy figures, increased monster sightings tied to dark magic, villages disappearing. It felt ominous, like the beginning of a larger threat. He nodded. "I'll handle it. How soon?"
Makarov clapped his shoulder. "As soon as you can. Take whoever you need, but move fast. And be careful—this smells like trouble."
Varion stared at the S-rank mission flyer in his hand, the details about multiple dark guilds spiking in activity sending a chill down his spine. This could be big—coordinated, dangerous. He debated taking the girls; Erza, Mira, and Lucy were strong, but they weren't ready for something this intense yet. Also their relationship was new, and the thought of putting them in real danger so soon made his stomach twist. He was the only one equipped for this right now. Laxus? He'd probably tell him to screw off. Gildarts was out of the guild on a long-term job. No—this was solo.
He turned to find the girls—Erza polishing her sword at a table, Mira chatting with Cana nearby, Lucy practicing a key summon with Levy. "Hey," he called softly, waving them over. "Need to talk."
They gathered, curiosity in their eyes. Varion explained the mission—the dark guilds' activity, Makarov's worry about it snowballing. "I'm leaving now to handle it."
Erza's brows furrowed. "Alone? We can help—let us come."
Mira nodded firmly. "Yeah, we're strong enough. Don't leave us behind."
Lucy clutched her keys. "Please—we want to be there with you, we can help."
Varion shook his head gently. "I know you can help, but I'd prefer your first S-class mission be something a little more low-risk. No offense, but I'm not ready to be responsible for protecting all three of you on something as possibly intense as this is going to be. Let me handle it, then we'll do one together when I get back."
They argued a bit more—Erza insisting on her strength, Mira calling it unfair, Lucy pleading about teamwork—but they relented, seeing the resolve in his eyes.
"Fine," Erza said with a sigh. "But when you come back, we're finding a mission for all four of us. No arguments."
Mira crossed her arms. "Yeah. Deal?"
Lucy nodded. "Promise."
Varion smiled. "Deal."
He headed upstairs to pack quickly—a light bag with essentials, his cloak, and a few potions. When he came back down, the girls were waiting. They kissed him goodbye, each in their own way—Erza's firm and passionate, her hands on his shoulders as she poured her worry into it; Lucy's soft and lingering, her fingers tracing his jaw; Mira's aggressive and hungry, pulling him close with a hand in his hair.
As they pulled apart from Mira's kiss, she grinned, noticing the thin string of saliva connecting their lips for a second before it broke. "Hurry back," she whispered.
Lucy grabbed his hand then, her eyes earnest. "Promise to be safe?"
Erza nodded beside her, her voice steady. "You'll be fine. I believe in you."
Varion squeezed Lucy's hand, nodding to both. "I promise. I'll be back soon."
With that, he stepped out, the door closing behind him as he headed into the unknown.
-Later-
Varion soared over the scorched landscape, his silver-blue wings cutting through the smoky air like blades. The wind carried the acrid scent of charred wood and ash, stinging his eyes as he descended toward what was left of the village. From above, it looked like a blackened scar on the earth—roofs collapsed into smoldering ruins, fields turned to cinder, the surrounding trees twisted and bare like skeletal fingers reaching for the sky. He retracted his wings mid-drop, landing lightly in the center of the devastation, his boots crunching on charred debris.
The silence was eerie—no cries, no movement, just the occasional crackle of dying embers. Varion's heightened senses scanned immediately, his Star Dragonoid instincts kicking in as he moved from house to house, overturning rubble and calling out for survivors. "Anyone here? Shout if you can hear me!"
Nothing. No heartbeats, no shallow breaths. The village was a graveyard. He clenched his fists, a low growl building in his throat—the destruction was thorough, deliberate. As he pushed deeper, a particular scene caught his eye near what used to be the village square. He approached slowly, his stomach twisting.
A large, burned body lay sprawled over two smaller ones, arms outstretched in a final, desperate shield. The charred remains were unmistakably a family—a parent trying to protect their children from the flames. The air around them clung heavy with a particular brand of fire magic—dark, consuming, unlike any ordinary flame spell. It hung like a toxic fog, the residue of something vile and god-like in its intensity, though Varion didn't know the specifics—just that it was fire magic twisted into something unholy.
This pissed him off. His scales rippled faintly under his skin, his eyes narrowing to slits as anger surged through him like cosmic fire. Innocent people—kids—slaughtered like this? It was senseless, cruel. He knelt briefly, closing his eyes in a silent promise. "I'll find who did this."
Rising, he widened his senses, his dragonoid smell picking up traces of the culprits—sweat, dark magic residue, the faint metallic tang of blood not from the villagers. Footprints in the ash led east, toward denser woods. He followed, his steps quick and silent, tracking the scent like a hound on the hunt. The trail was fresh—hours old at most—and it grew stronger as he moved, the forest closing in around him.
Eventually, he got in range where his magic senses could feel them—a group of mages, their auras dark and twisted, pulsing with malice and power. They were close, perhaps a mile ahead in a clearing. Varion's fists clenched, his body tensing for what came next.
Varion pushed himself harder, his wings beating with powerful strokes as he accelerated through the forest canopy. The scent trail grew stronger with every second — dark magic mixed with sweat and blood. His Star Dragonoid senses sharpened to a razor edge, the world blurring into streaks of green and brown as he closed the distance.
He burst into a wide clearing, landing lightly on the edge of the treeline, his wings folding away as he stepped forward. The scene before him was exactly what he'd suspected.
Seven powerful mages stood in a loose formation — the Kin of Purgatory, Grimoire Heart's elite strike team, their dark auras radiating menace. Around them were a dozen or so no-name goons, lower-ranked dark mages with weapons drawn and spells already crackling at their fingertips. The air reeked of charred wood and ozone.
Off to the side, slightly separated from the main group, stood a black-haired girl around his age. She was holding an unconscious pink-haired little girl in her arms, cradling her protectively. The older girl's expression was tight, uncomfortable — her eyes darting between the dark mages and the child, clearly not happy with her current company. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else.
Varion discarded the observation for now. His focus narrowed. He stepped out into the open, boots crunching on the charred grass.
The mages noticed him instantly.
Weapons snapped up. Spells flared to life. The 7 Kin turned as one, their eyes locking onto the intruder with murderous intent.
One of the goons sneered, raising a flaming sword. "Who the hell are you? Oh he's a Fairy Tail dog."
Varion's voice was cold, calm, and laced with barely contained fury. "The one who's going to make you regret what you did to that village."